MoonPay has announced a strategic partnership with Deel, a platform focused on payroll and human resources, to introduce a new service that allows companies in the United Kingdom and the European Union to pay employees using stablecoins. This initiative aims to provide businesses with the ability to directly deposit wages into employees’ cryptocurrency wallets, thereby circumventing traditional banking systems for cross-border payments.
The service leverages MoonPay’s fiat infrastructure unit, Iron, which will act as the settlement layer for these stablecoin transactions. Initially, the offering will be available in the UK and the EU, with plans for expansion into the United States in the future. This collaboration presents MoonPay with the opportunity to reach a considerable corporate user base, as Deel currently supports payroll operations for tens of thousands of companies, many of which manage complex payment flows and employ international teams.
The move towards stablecoin payroll is indicative of a shift from niche applications to mainstream corporate tools, particularly for organizations with cross-border teams. Under this arrangement, Deel will incorporate Iron’s infrastructure to facilitate stablecoin payments alongside traditional payroll options. Employers have the flexibility to choose payments in certain supported stablecoins, which are directly transferred to self-custodied wallets instead of through local banking channels. This structure addresses common challenges faced in global payroll—including settlement delays, currency conversion costs, and banking access issues—by offering near-instant transfers and stable value, appealing especially to those who prefer cryptocurrency for their payments.
Max von Wallenberg, founder and CEO of Iron, elaborated on the partnership, emphasizing the potential it holds for delivering quick and efficient global payouts. He noted Deel’s significant scale, having processed $22 billion in global payroll in 2025, and highlighted the company’s strategic shift towards crypto infrastructure.
Deel’s engagement in crypto payroll is not entirely new; as early as 2021, the firm had allowed workers on its platform to opt for wages in digital assets such as USDC and Solana. The company also raised $425 million in a Series D funding round in the same year, reflecting growing investor enthusiasm for tools that accommodate a global workforce. As demand for varied payment options rises alongside the shift to remote and contract work, stablecoins have emerged as a practical solution for those seeking quicker access to their earnings or preferring to hold value outside conventional banking methods.
MoonPay’s collaboration represents a broader trend among crypto infrastructure providers aiming to extend their services beyond consumer transactions into enterprise solutions. Payroll systems provide consistent transaction volumes and deepen integration with business operations, making them more attractive than sporadic crypto purchases.
In addition to its payroll push, MoonPay has previously engaged in stablecoin issuance and wallet integrations, further solidifying its presence in the digital asset space. The partnership with Deel aligns with MoonPay’s objective to integrate its services with routine financial activities rather than solely speculative trading. This focus may be crucial as regulatory frameworks for stablecoins in payments and settlements continue to evolve in both Europe and the UK.
While the emergence of stablecoin payroll is unlikely to supplant traditional salary processes soon, its adoption as an option for global teams is expected to strengthen. The growth of this model will largely hinge on regulatory clarity, tax implications, and the willingness of workers to receive part of their income in digital forms. MoonPay and Deel are targeting businesses that are already adept at navigating cross-border operations, suggesting that as uptake increases, further collaborations may arise as payroll providers explore quicker, more agile methods for international money transfers.
